 |
Have you guys ever had thick Italian hot chocolate? It is hands down the best hot chocolate in the world!! The first time I ever had it was my first trip to Rome about 9 years ago. In all those years I have not forgotten that first hot chocolate. It was a very special experience for me. It was the main reason that Cliff and I went back to Rome last year. That, and the gelato.
If you have never had thick Italian hot chocolate let me explain it to you. Imagine hot chocolate pudding. That is exactly what it tastes like. You can put your spoon in it and the spoon will stand up. It is that thick. And it is wonderful. Every morning Cliff and would go to the bar and he would get some kind of coffee and an orange juice. I would get a pastry and a hot chocolate. Some days I would even get hot chocolate for dinner. We were only in Rome for 4 nights and I needed to get as much hot chocolate as I could!
Drinking hot chocolate in Rome
Hot chocolate in Las Vegas
I always wondered how they made it so thick. I recently discovered that the trick is using cornstarch. How simple! I can make hot chocolate at home????? This could be dangerous. My hot chocolate turned out really great. If I made it again I would probably use semi-sweet chocolate instead of bittersweet. But that’s just my personal preference. If you like hot chocolate, you will love this thick Italian hot chocolate!!!
Here is what you'll need
First, chop the chocolate finely
Whisk the half-and-half with the cornstarch
In a pot bring the remaining half-and-half to a boil and add the sugar
Add the cornstarch/half-and-half mixture
Whisk til smooth
Remove from heat and add the chocolate
Stir until the chocolate is completely melted
Grab a good book and pretend that you're sitting in a sidewalk cafe in Rome!
Ingredients
1 ½ cups half-and-half
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons sugar (if you use semi-sweet chocolate reduce this to 2 tablespoons)
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (next time I plan to try semi-sweet chocolate)
Directions
In a bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of the half-and-half with the cornstarch, whisking until smooth. It is important that there are no lumps. Place the remaining half-and-half in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. When the half-and-half begins to bubble around the edges whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture until the half-and-half thickens slightly, usually less than a minute. Remove from the heat and quickly whisk in the chocolate until very smooth. Pour into two cups.
Source: Adapted from Italian Food Forever
Hi! In Spain we eat hot chocolate with “churros” or “picatostes”. They’re the perfect complement!
I love churros! I need to visit Spain!
I could just pour this all over my face.
I would actually pay to see that! haha
I am tempted to lick the screen right now! Your hot chocolate looks so good!
I had a version of this in Split, Croatia. It was probably the best thing I’ve ever had to drink. I spent the next 2 weeks of my vacation unsuccessfully searching out for this molten chocolate goodness. Since Croatia is heavily influenced by the Italians I’m sure the recipe is similar and now I can make this at home. Thx!
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it.
Ohh my, was this good. I don’t know if it was just me, but I had a little trouble whisking the cornstarch into the milk (no half & half on hand.) Next time I might try whisking the cornstarch in a tiny bit of water first. It seems to just melt in water.
Even with the trouble, this was a serious treat.
Hmmmm, I don’t know why that happened. I’m glad you enjoyed it though.
OMG! I was looking for a good recipe for hot chocolate… I think I have found it! I’m so excited to make this for my boyfriend. You guys are awesome and I LOVE your blog.
This is definitely a good one! I hope you like it!
Oh yeah this was awesome! Thanks for the recipe, it was a big hit! I even got some of my customers interested in your blog and recipe
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Never been to Italy but I have been to Greece. Your story about the hot chocolate reminds me of my own for loukoumades in Greece. Basically why I want to go back this spring!
Oh it is a big part of why we are going to Italy next week. Hot chocolate and Gelato!
yummmmm, that hot chocolate looks sooooooo delicious and creamy–as do the cookies
Looks absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to try the recipe this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
My grandmother used to make it for me when I was little and I never got the recipe from her. On a Mediterrean cruise I got some at a restaurant. Thank you so much. I’ll try it as soon as I buy the chocolate.
Finally a recipe for Italian Hot Chocolate. My daughter just came back from Italy from visiting her in-laws and she brought back little packets to make with milk. It was SO O O O good. I’m so excited to try this recipe…..decadent, smooth and definitely yummy hot chocolate. Once you have had Italian Hot Chocolate you will never go back. It is especially yummy with different flavors of chocolate bars. Try chipotle, raspberry, and any of the Lindt bars…even the sea salt one is great. I’m sure to gain plenty of weight sampling all the flavors.
I wonder if i can use just the milk cream instead of the milk with the chocolate powder.. and make it thicker than the actual milk..
I tried a similar recipe but it turned out way too thick, kind of pasty almost, and I also used 100% cacao chocolate bar. Not quite what I was hoping for. So, I will try your method now with semi-sweet chocolate. I am on the quest to find the perfect thick hot chocolate. Like you, it is one of my fondest memory from an Italy trip — I experienced thick, hot chocolate in Assisi. Thought I’d died and gone to HEAVEN!!
I saw this link from a different site and just had to check it out. We bring a years worth of hot chocolate back from Italy when we visit my inlaws or they ship it to us. Definitely a staple in our house! So I was curious to see how one would make it homemade. This looks yummy!